Improved washing-machine



r1 ['mteh faire gamut ffice.

GEORGE M. vDENISON, OAF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT. Letters Patent No. 71,716, dated December 3, 1867.

IMPRovsn WASHING-uscente.

y TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Bei it known that I, GEORGE M. DENIsoN, ot' New London, in the county of New London, and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Surfaces; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a portion 'of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a washing-machine constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of one portion of the same.`

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, showing a modification of one feature of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A* This invention consists in a rubbingsurfaee composed of rows of bristles arranged alternately withl ribs or ridges covered with India rubber or other like elastic material, whereby the action ofthe said surface upon the clothes or fabric to bewashed is rendered much more effective in removing dirt or impurities "therefrom than that of the rubbing-devices hitherto in use, this feature of the invention being, furthermore, capable of being employed to advantage in the construction of brushes or devices designed for ordinary scrubbing purposes.

' The invention further consists in the combination of a roller with the aforesaid elastic ribs and-*rows of bristles, whereby the clothes or fabrics are retained in proper position while being washed or cleansed.

The invention further consists in a novel combination of parts, whereby the most etlicient operation of. the principal features of the invention is secured.

To enable others to understand the nature and construction of my invention,- will proceed to `describe it with reference to the drawings. i

A represents awash-board, which is corrugated transversely upon its upper side, and furnishedwith two upwardly-cxtendingside boards, lA*, formed longitudinally, in Vthe inner side of eachY of which, and near the upper edge thereofLjsa groove, a. The rubber is shown at B, and is furnished with a transverse `handlc, b, connected therewith-'by bars c; and at each end of this rubber is a laterally-projeeting spur, eZ, which extends m f into the groove a of the adjacent sideboard A*, the said grooves a constituting guides for the spurs, in such manner that the rubber may be moved to and fro longitudinally upon the hoard A, and, at the same time, pressed downward upon the same. The rubber B has its upper part, shown at a*, formed of a stout piece of board or plank, to which the hereinbeforementiorred bars c are attached, and to each end of which, at and' parallel with Vthe under side thereof, is a downwardly-extending strip, b', into which are firmly secured the ends of two or more transverse bars, B*, which, in their cross-section, may be* of circular, elliptic, or other suitable form, and which are cach provided with a covering or external layer of India rubber, indicated at (1*, and formed preferably of India-rubber tubing stretched upon the said bars, in such manner that, when one side thereof is 'y worn, it may be turned around, so that a fresh or unworn portion may come in contact with the board A, or

with the fabric when the apparatus is used, as presently herein set forth.

Y Placed alternately with the elastic ribs or ridges formed by the bars B* and their India-rubber covering b* is any desired or suitable number of brushes formed 'of bristles, arranged in rows, F, upon suitable transverse stocks, e, the said bristles extending downward somewhat below the elastic ribs or ridges just hereinbefore described. Placed in a. position parallel 'with the said ribs or ridges and the rows of bristles, and at that 4edge of the rubber opposite the handle 6 thereof, is a roller, C, the `pivots or journals of which work in suitable bearings in the strips b.

In using the apparatus, it should be placed with the wash-board A, in an inclined position, within a suitable wash-tub, indicated in red outline in lig. 1; and the cloths or fabrics to be cleansed are placed upon the said board underneath the rubber B. A reciprocating movement is then given to the latter by means of the handle I), and the said rubber also pressed downward, as hereinbefore explained. 'lheroller C, by simply pressing upon the cloth or fabric, retains the same in the required spread-out condition, while the 4bristles F and the elastic ribs B* b* uct upon the said fabric. The bristles, by penetrating into the intcrstices between the fibres ofthe fabrics, eifectually loosen the dirt and impurities therefrom, while the comparatively firm pressure of the g elastic ribs still further expels the said impurities, the washing operation being, by these means, very thoroughly and expeditiously performed.

When desired, the elastic ribs or ridges, instead of being formed of'India. rubber securedupou supporting` bars Bl, as hereinbefore described, may consist simply of strips of sheet IndiaJ rubber secured in the board A," in the manner shown in iig. 3, their lateral Aedges projecting beyond the surface of the sziid board, :L'ml between the rows of bristles, :is shown inthe said gure, this modification-of the' rubbing-surface being more especially adapted to the construction of sorcelled scrubbing-brushes or devices., y

What I claim as my invention, und desire to secure -by Letters Patents-vis- 1. The rubbing-surface composed of bristles arranged in rows, alternating with elastic ribs or ridges, substantially as and for the purpose specified. Y

2. 'lhe roller C, arranged in relationwith the rows of bristles, und the elastic ribs or ridges, substantially as and for the purpose specified. Y l

3. The rubber constructed in the mnnner specified, in combination with'the guides, a, in the side pieces of the corrugated board, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

' G EO. M. DENISON.

Witnesses:

J. W. Cocinas, Ai LE CLERC. 

